Recent research by the software ratings company Capterra found that lawyers “may be losing out on more than $5,000 in revenue each week due to inefficiency.” 86% of survey respondents said they’re spending too much time on administrative tasks and not enough on actually practicing law. Automation software, they found, can lead to a 60% positive impact on revenue, in addition to improving client satisfaction and increasing case wins.
Efficiency tools like legal case management software can dramatically improve the practice of law, helping you better manage documents, communicate with coworkers and clients, and market and run your business. But how do you go about finding the right software for your firm?
Here’s a basic guide to learning more about software options and finding the right one.
1. Search for the right terms
The easiest place to begin is by Googling terms like “legal case management software” or “law firm software.” You can also narrow it down to your practice area or firm size (for instance, “enterprise legal management software” or “solo law firm software”).
You can also search for the features that are your priority. Add “cloud-based” to your search to find options that enhance collaboration and are easier to access from other locations or different devices. If you predominantly need help with document management, look for “legal document management software” or “paperless law firm.”
2. Visit review sites
Several sites focus on helping businesses find the software they need. They aggregate validated reviews from users and experts, to help you understand how the different options compare to each other.
Popular review sites include G2.com (formerly G2 Crowd), Capterra, and Software Advice. These sites are free to use for law firms—they receive their revenue from software companies who pay to add more information to their profiles (like video testimonials) and to gain data about their market and audience. Others get revenue on a ‘pay-per-lead’ basis. Importantly, these payments don’t improve a company's ratings, so you can still count on the websites to aggregate reviews and without bias.
To get started, navigate to a software review site and type in “legal case management software.” Or you can begin by looking at specific software options that interest you to see what users are saying about them.
One of the most useful features of these websites is the ability to directly compare individual options to each other. In addition to their combined ratings, you can see how they relate to each other on specific issues. Pay special attention to what features they include — you don’t want to have to buy additional software to fill in the gaps.
If you’d like more guidance through your process, these review sites also allow you to chat or talk to a software advisor for free. If you like what you see, you can contact a vendor directly from the website.
3. Ask your colleagues
As you go through your search process, reach out to your legal networks to learn about others’ experiences with different legal software. Ask around at your bar associations, industry groups, on professional listservs, or in the social media groups that you’re a part of.
Legal conferences are also great places to hear first-hand reviews of different software options. The vendors you’re hearing about might already be present at the conference, and they can help answer your questions and show you a deeper look at your options.
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Once you’ve explored the different options, you’re ready to take the next steps. Schedule a demo to learn more about how legal software can improve productivity, efficiency, and client satisfaction.
1. “Capterra Research Reveals Law Firms Must Automate to Stay Competitive.” BusinessWire. Oct 4, 2021. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211004005601/en/Capterra-Research-Reveals-Law-Firms-Must-Automate-to-Stay-Competitive